ROCKLAND – Sheriff Dan Davey easily hung onto his seat Tuesday for another four-year term as top law enforcement officer for Knox County, grabbing 1,798 votes to his opponent’s 1,431 votes.

During his campaign, Davey said another term would allow him to finish up a law enforcement career that began 36 years ago.

On Wednesday, however, Davey said he was leaving the door open for yet another run.

Davey, 60, of Warren has been Knox County sheriff for nearly 18 years and has faced competition only once since elected.

This time around, Jeffrey Gallagher, 49, a former Maine Marine Patrol officer, was trying to unseat Davey, saying change was needed. Gallagher said the incumbent has old ideas and is not ready to accept changes.

Gallagher wanted to make a “clean sweep” with “a clean broom,” hoping to oust not only Davey, but also his chief deputy, Todd Butler. He vowed to find the right chief deputy to assist him in running the department.

The 25-year veteran of the Marine Patrol indicated Davey was not doing a good job in the area of maintaining a cooperative relationship with other law enforcement agencies.

“It was an interesting race,” Gallagher said Wednesday. “I may consider running again or I may not … I wished [Davey] well.”

The sheriff’s goal in running again is to remain personally involved in the challenges facing the department, such as homeland security and rising drug use.

“I did receive a call from Jeff Gallagher wishing me the best of luck for the next four years,” Davey said Wednesday. “I think he ran a good race.

“I have a lot to do in the next four years,” he said, pointing to a strong focus on homeland security and security issues at the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head.

The department recently assigned a school resource officer to Medomak Valley High School to help students with various problems. Although the high school is in Lincoln County, Davey was asked to provide a deputy to the school because two-thirds of the students are from Knox County, he said.

Besides ensuring that the school program goes well, he also would like to talk to county towns about hiring resident deputies who cover a specific town, allowing them to have community policing programs.

Not surprisingly, Davey made a strong showing in his hometown of Warren, beating his opponent with a 168-57 vote.

He also garnered solid support in Thomaston, St. George and Union.

On the other hand, Gallagher trounced Davey in Rockport, with his hometown voters giving him 206 votes to Davey’s 136. Gallagher also won Camden with 291-196. As predicted, the former Marine Patrol officer also won the most votes from all of the county’s islands, with the exception of Isle au Haut.